Coronavirus US live: Birx says Trump wears mask when not socially distancing – The Guardian

The United States will on Sunday impose a lockdown on travelers from Brazil, according to Donald Trumps national security adviser.

Covid-19 deaths have soared in Brazil as the countrys foul-mouthed president, Jair Bolsonaro, continues to deflect from the crisis. It seems the Trump administration has heard enough.

I think well have a decision today with respect to Brazil, just like we did with the UK and Europe and China, and we hope it will be temporary, Robert OBrien told CBSs Face the Nation.

Were concerned about the people of the southern hemisphere, OBrien continued, the people of Brazil, theyve had a rough go of it. But because of the situation in Brazil, were going to take every step necessary to protect the American people.

As of now Id say Brazil, and well take a look at the other countries on a country by country basis.

OBrien did not divulge details of any such lockdown. But the conversation did allow him to pick up the White House narrative of painting China as the bogeyman of the Covid-19 crisis.

They allowed those folks to travel from China to Europe, and to seed the disease in Europe and have it come through a backdoor into the United States, OBrien said. In perfect hindsight, when we realized the Europeans hadnt cut off travel, sure it would have been better to cut off earlier.

OBrien claimed literally hundreds of thousands or millions of lives were saved by Trumps travel bans, and that the presidents move was a profile in courage.

The Washington Post reported on Saturday on how Trumps restriction on flights from Europe backfired badly.

OBrien also said he expected an in-person G7 gathering of world leaders to take place in Washington in late June.

Were getting very close to the peak [of the pandemic] if were not already, in Washington and if the situation permits it, and we think it will, wed love to have the G7 in person, OBrien said.

Well make sure everybodys tested, well make sure its a safe environment. The leaders would love to get out of their offices and meet in person to plan the post-Covid world.

Two other notable footnotes: the US presidential election will take place as planned on 3 November, no question about it OBrien says, despite speculation fuelled by comments from Trumps son-in-law Jared Kushner that the administration might be looking at a postponement.

Well have to see what happens with the virus, but we want to make sure that we have a free and fair election. That elections going to take place on election day, theres no question about it, OBrien said, declaring that stockpiles of PPE, especially masks, were being built for election workers.

OBrien also insisted there was no security risk posed by Trump, the nations commander in chief, continuing to take hydroxychloroquine, an anti-malarial drug that the Food and Drug Administration says could have life-threatening side effects.

Im sure theyre doing the right regimen for President Trump hes under great medical care, OBrien said.

Hes doing the right thing that he and his physician believe is good for the president. The guys got more energy than anyone Ive ever seen, he added, claiming improbably that the golf-loving president was working 16, 18 hours a day.

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Coronavirus US live: Birx says Trump wears mask when not socially distancing - The Guardian